Clarifying the Tangent Line - April 2010

Some great people are remembered most for the impressions they leave with us
just before or immediately after they depart this world. If the legend of Oscar
Wilde's last words is the truth, that utterance alone ensures his immortality
for me. Some live on for their epitaphs; Groucho Marx comes first to mind for
his. If someone can write honestly on my headstone, "He mastered the stop
shot," I am sure to rest peacefully.

Now that we have our goals laid out let's get to work. There is an aspect of
position play so fundamental to controlling the cue ball's track off of the
object ball that the term associated with it has taken root in every player's
vocabulary. I fear that as the words "tangent line" become a cliché
their meaning and, more important, their understanding will dissipate for some
players. We discussed the concept here almost three years ago and shall review
in order to simplify our understanding and clear up any misconceptions.

I worry that the term "tangent line" may confuse some players since
a circle or sphere has an infinite number of lines tangent to it meaning that
any track traced by the cue ball after contact can be defined as tangent to the
object ball. Call it what you wish as long as you have a clear picture of what
is meant. We wouldn't want such an important concept to go the way of the word
"stun," which now has a stunning number of different meanings in
billiards parlance.

Look at the shot in the diagram and note the line drawn perpendicular to the
line of the object ball into the pocket. Set up the shot with the cue ball at
point A, mark the positions of the balls and draw that perpendicular line
lightly with the chalk. Now shoot the shot to pocket the ball and keep the cue
ball on that line. Shoot the shot repeatedly while altering speed, stroke, and
the spot you hit on the cue ball and noting where the cue ball tracks for each
shot. You will find that only one shot keeps the cue ball on the perpendicular
line, the stop shot. It may be a firm stop shot hit just below the center of the
cue ball or a soft one hit down near the bottom but only a stop shot will keep
the cue ball on that line. If you need to nail down your stop shot for this
distance move the cue ball to point B to make the shot straight and shoot some
stop shots from there at different speeds.

Move the cue ball back to point A and consider the shot for a minute. Why is
there so much talk surrounding the so-called tangent line when it accounts for
only one cue-ball track among so many possibilities? Because so many shots offer
such a daunting number of choices, players desire certainty especially when
under a little pressure. A precise knowledge of where the cue ball will track is
extremely powerful and knowing that one specific shot, the shot that you've
mastered, will yield that track every time is very reassuring. While studying
the shot further consider how many places on the table you can leave the cue
ball by playing the perpendicular track and changing only speed.

Play the shot in the diagram now to track the cue ball on the perpendicular
line at various speeds. Observe where the cue ball lands after every shot. Work
on your low, soft stop shot to track the cue ball along the line with just
enough speed to get to the short rail. Can you add speed and use this track to
move the cue ball two rails to the center of the table? Can you add more speed
to move the cue ball through the center of the table for a good shot on a ball
lying at point X? For that position try a firm stop shot with a touch of outside
english, right in this case. Does that affect the cue ball's track? You will
find that when you use english and maintain your punch stroke, the english will
not move the cue ball off of the perpendicular line. Play for the ball at point
X with just a little outside english to move the cue ball into position without
excessive speed. Get comfortable with using english in this way, just enough to
give you a natural roll off of the two rails, and find the right speed to land
on at least five separate, precise points along the entire path.

You can reflect on your work now and consider two important results. Note how
comfortable the perpendicular track can feel and how many possibilities are at
your disposal when you choose it. Set up and play other shots with the same
technique as you predict and observe the possible outcomes. Watch the best
players and note how often they choose the track and reliable punch stroke that
you are mastering today. You may be amazed by how frequently you see successful
position resulting from one consistent choice.

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